


Recovery

by Dinkdidnothingwrong



Category: Scott Pilgrim - All Media Types
Genre: Abusive Parents, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Feels, Comics/Movie Crossover, Daddy Issues, Deep Todd AU, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Neglect, No buildings were harmed in the making of this story, Psychic Abilities, Redemption, What is cannon timelines but my guideline, Withdrawal, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:40:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29453961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dinkdidnothingwrong/pseuds/Dinkdidnothingwrong
Summary: Recovery takes time. You feel withdraw, you make progress, you realpse, all in the hope maybe one day you'll get to put this all behind you. Usually, when you do fail, you find yourself in a trash heap of your own vices, hungover and ready to try again.Todd Ingram might just blow up Toronto before he gets there.(Hehe Todd Ingram Redemption fic go brrr. I'll do my best to keep up with tags and stay consistent, but no promises.)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. WITHDRAW

**Author's Note:**

> I havent read the comics fully! Bare with me!

Todd had locked himself in the Honest Ed bathroom three hours ago, but even as the gentle calls of store employees came from outside the door, he didn't dare come out. His breaths were shaky and shallow, arms wrapped tightly around his knees as he shook on the floor. Part of him yelled at him to get up, to swagger out the door as per usual, and to go finish knocking Scott Pilgrim's teeth in, but he couldn't seem to pull himself together, let alone off the floor. He'd long since stopped crying but the streaks still stained cheeks. Nothing but little whimpers escaped him, and his chest constricted as he heard the bathroom door jiggle and click. "Just give me the damn key. I'll get him." Todd's blood ran cold. He knew that voice.

"Now Todd, there's no need to prolong this." He gritted his teeth, hating this feeling of nakedness while being completely clothed. Todd was sweating bullets, his father hovering above him hardly helping as his stomach tied itself into knots. "You can come home now."

"I'm fine." He mumbled, fearing if he spoke normally he would vomit. God, why was this so hard? All he had to do was keep his lunch down, and not spew it all up on his father's shoes. Easier said than done as the elder Ingram bared down on him. 

"You don't need to do this, embarrass yourself in front of everyone. You've proved your point! Everyone can see your determination to push yourself to failure." Todd lowered his head, not wanting to look at the other's annoyed gaze.

"The stress test is a required rite for all vegans." He said. The bile was rising, burning the back of his throat. Todd hadn't understood the purpose of the stress test at first, having found no problem with vegan food. But now he knew. If he failed at simply not puking, how could he be trusted with his powers. 

"By God Todd, how long are we going to do this?" He started shaking, feeling dizzy. "Sometimes I wonder where you got so foolishly stubborn, cause it certainly wasn't from me!" His legs could probably give out at this point, but Todd stood firm despite the pain. "And if honestly think there won't be consequences for this little stunt, you're mistaken-"

"Time!" Yelled the instructor, barging into the room. Todd looked in relief, waiting for the delight in his father's face, waiting for the gentle softening and the happy admittance that he was wrong. But all he got was the same look of annoyance, now laced with disappointment. 

"Good job Todd." His father muttered as he walked out. Todd swallowed down his lunch for the last time, and allowed himself to be led back to his dorm. The others cheered and patted him on the back, but Todd just shrugged off their hands and stalked off to bed.

"Todd? Todd!" Todd fell out of the bathroom window of Honest Ed's onto the hard pavement. Tearing through the alleys, he racked his head for anywhere he could go. Envy's? No, she was probably already packing his stuff. Guycott's? No, he wasn't that desperate yet. Gideon's? Oh yeah, just in time to tell him he was losing his major signing. Before too long, Todd stopped recognizing the streets, and soon found himself on a totally different side of Toronto than he'd ever been to. 

Great.

Todd's hands instinctively found his arms and gripped them as hard as he possibly could, almost to the point of bruises. It was freezing, and he hadn't even brought a coat. Trudging along, he found his head spinning and a familiar nausea rising inside him. His body screamed at him to stop, and so, Todd did. Froze dead solid in his tracks, turned somewhat, pulled open the hatch and puked into someone's mailbox. "Fuck…" He swayed, tilted and passed out onto the snow. 

"Lulu. Calm the hell down." Matthew mumbled, one of his more Ill-tempered demons attempting to bite off his doorknob as he pulled on a pair of jeans. Swinging open the door, he gestured broadly, trying to show her there was absolutely nothing out here. But instead Lulu darted over to a black and cream lump lying in Matt's front yard, the ex cringing. Flicking on his phone flashlight, Matt, horrified, realized it was a person. Kicking them, they rolled over and groaned, Todd curling up further as Matt tried to pick him up. "Jesus Christ...grab his legs, 1 2 3 lift!" Just as Matt went to pick the other up, he rose on his own, a gentle yellow light surrounding him as Matt's trash cans and mailbox swirled around him. Then, just as soon as it started, he slammed back down into the snow. He coughed and sat up, staring at Pattel and trying to remember where he knew him. 

"It's you." 

"Yeah…why are you passed out on my lawn?"

"Uh…" Todd tried to think back to the past few hours. But only fuzzy memories came up, along with a wicked headache. "Ow!" Matt sighed.

"Get up Ingram. It's cold out here."

"Why does my head hurt so much?" He whined.

"You've been living life with powerful psychic abilities,"

"Welcome to **Withdraw**."


	2. Progress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait time! Its the middle of the semster but I still writing this! Also slight warning for a bit of illness, most just sweating and headaches. Enjoy!

“Here.” Matt pressed a warm towel to Todd’s forehead, the blonde shivering as he curled up in the blankets on Matt’s couch. His snow soaked shirt sat on a chair not far away, and he’d spent the past 30 minutes trying to warm himself up in Matt’s shower. Sweat still dripped off his forehead, enough to the point where if Todd had been a little less loopy he’d be concerned. 

“What the hell is happening to me?” He groaned. “I’ve gotten headaches because of my powers but this is something fucking else.”

“It’s the withdrawal I was talking about earlier. This? The sweating, the headaches? It’s the kind of stuff using vegan powers puts your body through, just without any of the buffers to keep you from feeling it. Have you ever experienced unprompted panic attacks?”

“Panic whats?” Matt stopped, his face twisting from bafflement to pity to anger and back again, Todd flinching under his gaze. Sighing and regaining his composure, Matt started again.

“Panic Attacks. Sweating, heart racing, nausea, crying-”

“Oh, that.” He mumbled. “Yeah. I mean, they’re not super common, like at most once a month.” Matt bit his tongue, breathed in, and gave a hard exhale.

“And did they crop up right after extensive use of your powers?”

“Uh, actually yeah. Huh…” He blushed, embarrassed. 

“Hey, don’t feel too bad about it. The academy isn’t exactly upfront with a lot of the aftereffects of Veganism. It’s why most other psychics don’t consider you guys a valid artform.” 

“Other psychics?” Todd said. “You? You have powers?” He said, snark sneaking into his tone. Matt frowned and pointed to Lulu. 

“Do you mean to tell me you thought that was an actual demon? Or, even worse, a human woman?”

“I don't know, cosplays gotten really intricate these days!”

“She has wings! And it’s almost,” Matt checked his watch. “Midnight!”

“Who am I to tell people what to do in their own-wait...did you say _Midnight?!_ ”

“Yes?” Todd reeled. How long had he been in the Honest Ed’s bathroom? Thinking back, it’d of had to have been at least an hour, given that his father had shown up, and he wasn’t the type to fly. Matt had found him on the lawn, how long had it been between that and passing out? Todd buried his head in his hands, and shaking opened his phone. There was one voicemail from Envy.  
“Whenever you get this, come over. We need to talk, and your dad’s on his way here.” Todd’s fist clenched. “And I don’t know what happened in there, but whatever it was, please just tell me when you get home?” Matt watched in astonishment as the color drained from Todd’s eyes, fading away till he looked almost blind, and you could only see his iris and pupil if you squinted. “I know this past few days have been stressful but I want you to know you’re not alone with that,” His hair flourished, rising up and flowing in some unseen wind. “And I don’t know why but even with Guycott and everything I still want to know you’re okay-” Todd screamed, crushing his Blackberry in his grip. He opened his palm, staring blankly as blood began to trickle down his side of his hand. 

“Oh…” He mumbled. “Oh. OH!” Matt rushed into the other room, grabbing the first aid kit. 

“I have to go over there.” 

“And do what?” Matt asked, wrapping Todd’s hand in gauze as he pulled bits of plastic out of the skin. 

“Anything. Let Nat know I’m alive, at least.” 

“What about your dad? You, um, didn’t exactly seem thrilled when she mentioned him.”

“It's not...we’re just not close.” Matt knew it was a lie. The moment he’d mentioned the other Todd’s entire upper body had tensed. 

“Whatever. Just...at least get your stuff. Your jeans are still somewhat damp.” Todd sighed and pulled his shirt over his head. Heading out with Matt, he got in the other’s car and they sped off to Envy’s.

“...Oh. Hey.” Envy stepped back, allowing Todd to slip past her into their apartment. He hardly even looked at her. Grabbing the suitcase his father had gifted him when he started touring (Todd had bought his own luggage), he piled in clothes, toiletries, anything else he couldn’t bear to have Envy destroyed. Then, slipping his fingers under the wooden body, Todd pulled his old Gibson off the wall. It was old, older than him, having been a present to his uncle at one point, but he’d quickly grown bored of it and left it to rot in his grandparent’s attic. The polish had long since worn off, and Todd wasn’t even sure what color it was supposed to be, as it had long since faded to the wood. There was a vegan academy sticker slapped on, and he was sure if he tried to play it it’d of been horribly out of tune. But Todd was allowed to bring one leisure item, and he’d chosen this. Many a closet had heard his early concert, the hell of the academy blasted out into empty walls. It was the only thing that had made him happy back then. 

And it was starting to look like it might be the only thing that made him happy now. 

All he’d ever wanted to do was play bass. And maybe, if he had to start over, he’d start there. So he opened his case, and after laying down a particularly soft towel, placed the gibson inside. Locking it, he headed for the door with his suitcase in tow. But Envy caught his arm. “So that’s it?”

“I...don’t really have anything else to say.”

“What about what happened in Ed’s? What about how your dad’s been calling nonstop? What about us?” Todd sighed and just tugged his arm back. “Todd! It was supposed to be us-”

“I’m not that kid you left in Montreal!” Todd yelled, jerking back. “I’m not! And...and I just...I can’t be someone who you need.”

“What the hell does that mean? Someone I need? I had everything I needed until you fucked up!”

“Well maybe that’s for the best! That it’s all gone to shit!”

“Fucking how?”

“Cause I’m tired of this! My head constantly feels like it’s going to explode, and you always seem like you’re angry and I don’t even like playing anymore! Everything’s fucked Natalie- ,”

“Don’t call me Natalie.”

“-and I want it to be less fucked.” Todd knew he was crying again, but at this point he didn’t care. “I’m leaving. The band, of course, that was obvious, but also Toronto, eventually.”

“And what will you do? Once you get out of here?” Envy hissed.

“Try to do something that makes me happy,” Todd stopped in the door frame. Gently, he brushed the hair out of Envy’s eyes, wiping away the tears. “And doesn’t hurt anyone.” And with that Todd walked out onto the sidewalk to where Matt had parked the car. 

“So?” Matt asked. 

“I got what I needed. And I think Nat’s got...not closure but I didn’t get attacked with a hammer so-” Todd sighed, shoving his suitcase into the trunk. “I admitted I fucked up.” 

“That’s something! It’s , _progress_ , if that counts for anything.”

“It better.” He mumbled as he climbed into the passenger seat, his knees shoved up against the dashboard. “Let’s go.”

“Just a second. Someone’s getting out of the car in front of us.” Todd rolled his eyes and looked up, breath hitching in his throat. “What?” 

Mr.Ingram turned around, and grimaced as he saw his son’s face through the window.


	3. Relapse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to get Sadddddd

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for depictions of violence and parental abuse in the form of breaking possesions and neglect. Its not to heavy but I thought there should be a warning. Also I would like to apolgize to young neil in advance.

“Get out of there.” The older Ingram growled. “Now.” Todd reached for the handle, only stopping when Matt grabbed his hand. 

“What are you doing?” Matt asked.

“He-” He started, but the other quickly cut him off. 

“You’re a grown man. You don’t have to respect someone who is banging on a stranger’s car.” Todd sighed. He knew that, but as the moment he locked eyes with his father his heart dropped to his knees. 

“You don’t get it.” He muttered. “Just...I’ll be back.” 

“Is this where you get it?” Todd froze. And slowly, he brought his leg back into the car, and closed the door. Matt patted his back. “This is a good thing. I promise-” The car trunk creaked, Mr.Ingram pulling Todd’s guitar case out of the trunk. “Son of a-Hey! Get out of my trunk!” Both stuck their heads out the window, Todd throwing open the car door and rushing over, his father stepping out the way as he lunged for it. 

“Todd I never wished to doubt you, but obviously you cannot be left to your own devices. I thought that maybe you had finally managed to do something right, between the signing and academy, but apparently you are still the child I thought you were. Now it’s about time,” Clicking open the latches on the case, Mr.Ingram removed the instrument, and Todd’s eyes went wide as he realized what he was going to do.

“Dad don’t!”

“This charade comes to an end!” In an instant, Todd’s blonde was gone and replaced by a pure, almost glowing white. In one hand he held his guitar, his father’s collar in the other. “T-t-todd-” His hand moved up, squeezing the other’s neck. His eyes were dull, Matt yelping as he tried to leave his car and found the ground several feet below. Mailboxes and trash cans swirled around the night, street cats yowling as they were lifted into the air. A blue tint creeped into Mr.Ingram’s face, and Todd felt completely out of himself. His hand was moving, but he couldn’t feel it, couldn’t control it. Shaking, Mr.Ingram cupped his son’s face. “S-stop…”

Todd gasped, dropping his father, Matt’s car crashing to the ground. His head smacked against the dashboard, groaning as he stumbled out. Staring at his father as he soothed his bruised neck, he wondered how he could have ever feared him. He was an old, shaking man, terror racking his entire form. Part of him was ecstatic. He was free. Free from his father, free from the years of abuse and disappointment and never being good enough. But his hand burned, and he reviled at the bruises already forming on the other. Stumbling back against the car, he stood horrified at what he’d done. “Todd-” Matt held onto the car as he approached, the other staring at the small spot of blood dripping down his forehead. “Are you okay-” 

And like that, Todd blipped out of existence. 

“Todd? Todd!” Matt yelled. “What the hell…” Envy peeked out her window, running down the stairs and onto the street. 

“What happened?”

“I don’t know he’s...just gone.”

Todd woke up, and puked. Wincing as the flickering lights of the 7-11 assaulted his eyes, he pulled himself up by the wall. “Fuck…” He whimpered, head practically bursting. His breath grew short and his heart raced. What had he done? Where was he? Still in Toronto by the looks of it, but far away from Envy’s place. 

“Uh…” Todd turned, Young Neil standing behind him. “Are you alright?” 

“Do I know you?”

“Um, I’m Neil? From the show?” Todd’s eyes narrowed. 

“You’re with Scott, right?”

“Yes?” Todd fists tightened. Scott Pilgrim. If he hadn’t lost, none of this would’ve happened. He’d still be vegan, his dad would’ve never showed up in the first place, he still have Envy and the band, and nothing would’ve ever changed. He leaned back against the wall, and for a moment he just dropped it. This was his grave. He’d dug it, he’d have to sleep in it. But Neil pressed a coke can to his forehead, and pity just reeked off him. “If it makes you feel any better, Scott feels bad about what happened, with Ed’s and everything-AH!” Todd whipped Neil into the wall, sending him sailing through shelves. He smacked into the coolers in the back, groaning as Todd approached, towering over the young bassist. He pinned him by his neck and held him there, Neil squirming. 

“You know where Scott lives right?” Neil shook his head furiously. “Liar!”

“Fine Fine it’s over by the Happy Avocado! That block of houses!” Todd grimaced and dropped him, stalking back out the door. Neil gasped shakingly, and rushed over to the pay phone on the wall. “Stephen? Stephen! Todd’s coming to your house! Yes that Todd!”

“So…” Envy looked over her shoulder, Mr.Ingram sitting silently in the back of Matt’s car. “Where the hell are we going?”

“I don’t know, I just...figured we’d drive around till we found him or some kind of clue.”

“That’s going to take forever. At this rate, he could’ve already skipped town!”

“I know! I know. It’s not so easy to find someone whose fucking teleported!”

“If he had just listened…” Ingram mumbled.

“Hey! Did we say you could throw in your two cents you wrinkly old bastard?” Envy snipped.

“Please,” He hissed back. “As much as he thinks otherwise, I don’t control him! God knows life would be easier if I did.”

“Well maybe if you had taught him there are other ways to respond to things other than ignoring it…” Matt growled.

“And showed you cared, even once. I dated Todd for 2 whole years. You really think he never talked about you?” Ingram went to speak, but Envy just slapped him across the face. Turning back to the road, she quietly fumed and stared out the window. But something caught her eye. “Matt.” Matt slowed down, and they rolled past the smoking 7-11. 

“Oh god…” Pulling into the parking lot, Matt poked his head out the car, Neil spotting him and running over. 

“You! You’re with Todd right?”

“Depends.” Envy stepped out, Neil sweating. “Do you know where he’s going?”

“Stephens house.” He squeaked. “I can show you.”

“Good.” She beckoned him over, Neil slipping in besides Ingram. “Wait, one second.” Grabbing Ingram, she tossed him out onto the pavement. Running over and getting in the passenger seat, Matt floored it towards Stephen’s house.

“Should we-” Neil asked.

“He’ll be fine.” 

“I just saying, this is starting to get stupid.” Scott complained as he shut the door to Stephen’s living room, Ramona just rolling her eyes. “I’m already on ex 4-”

“Well, technically you’re still on Todd.”

“Really? But Honest Ed’s!”

“You left him emotionally destroyed, not physically.” Scott groaned. “Hey Kim.”

“Hey.”

“Where’s Stephen?”

“Kitchen. Phone rang.”

“Hm.”

“Still, I don’t see why I need to fight the guy again-” Stephen ran into the room, shoving his guitar back in the case and practically pulling Kim off her drum set. 

“Stephen what the fuck!” Kim cried.

“We need to leave! Neil gave Todd my fucking adress!”

“What?” Scott laughed nervously.

“Told you..” 

“It’ll be fine right? He’s not even a vegan anymore right?!” 

“I don’t care, grab your shit, we need to move-” Todd ripped Stephen’s door off its hinges. Grabbing Scott, he flung him into a nearby tree, smirking as it cracked in half. Scott struggled to his feet, stabilizing himself against the stump. “Uh, on second thought, let's stay inside.”

“Come on…” Todd hoisted him up by his hood, Scott clawing uselessly. “Bet you thought you had me didn’t you. Well guess what? This isn’t fucking over Pilgrim!” He drew back, but Scott did the same, kicking him in the ribs. Todd stumbled backwards and lost his grip on his hoodie, but immediately charged at him, Scott barely dodging as he tore across the street. Panting, his powers flickered in and out as he battered Pilgrim, the other hardly able in to get in a single punch. Bile rose in his throat but he just swallowed it back down. Maybe he couldn’t set his life back to the way it was two weeks ago, but if he could beat Pilgrim, no could ever call him weak. No one would ever look at him with pity, or think about how far he’d fallen. He was strong, stronger than anyone else, and all he needed to do was prove it. 

The ground shook violently. Cracks went through the asphalt and birds fled, Matt following them. He checked the time. 4 A.M. They pulled up to Stephen’s house, and just as soon as they had all gotten out, Scott Pilgrim went flying through their windshield. “Can’t outsmart me here, can you? When it all comes down to it, I’m still fucking better than you!” The cracks widened with every step Todd took, and spread out in every direction. The man was practically a lighthouse, the street where he walked as if it was day. Sweat poured off him and his chest strained with every breath he took. “Come on! Say Something!” 

“Uh-” Neil mumbled, Todd hurling him through Stephen’s already broken door. 

“Todd stop!” Matt screamed. “You’re going to burn yourself out!”

“So what?! Best to get this shit out of my system right?”

“Not like this!” He cried. “You’re hurting yourself!” Todd froze, and stood, silent. Then, he seized Scott with the last of his powers. 

“So?” He wheezed. He tightened his grip on Scott’s windpipe the other choking. Envy stepped forward, but Matt just put his arm up. Sighing, he gave her his jacket and sprinted towards Todd, the words “PLAYER TWO HAS JOINED.” appearing above him in the sky. Todd grabbed him easily, bringing him close. “Did you really think it would be that easy?”

“No.” He wheezed flatly, pointing behind him. Todd turned, and Lulu cracked his forehead with her own. 

Todd Ingram disappeared into coins, Scott and Matt both falling to the ground. Quietly, the achievement “Two player game” beeped above them, a little Scott head twirling in the air. He poked it hesitantly, yelping as it blipped away. “I-...thanks.” He muttered. Matt just shook his head. “I guess you’re versed in this kind of stuff?” 

“No.” He whispered. “And I had hoped I never would be.” He gave Scott his car keys. “Take her home.”

“What about you?”

“He’ll be at the hospital when he wakes up. It’s only a few blocks down.” 

“You don’t need to-”

“I do. I’ve...been where he is, and it’s not good for him to be left alone.” 

“Are you sure you want to?”

“...Yes.” 

Todd’s eyes fluttered open, and he shifted to a sitting position, his head throbbing more than usual. “Hey.” Turning, he found a 6’3 man in a black shirt and black pants, with his arm in a sling sitting in a chair by his bed. 

“Who the hell are you?” He rasped.

“Lucas Lee. Or evil ex number two. Matt called and said you went through a total **relapse** , and that you’d need someone to be here.” Todd covered his face with his hands, sniffing. “Hey, it’s not that bad. We both got our asses kicked, didn't we?” He joked. But Todd just slumped, hiccuping before all out sobbing.


End file.
